Water sprinkling device



United States Patent Ofiice 2,979,271 Patented Apr. 11, 1961 WATER SPRINKLING DEVICE Robert 'E. Boyden, Granby, Conn. (5608 Sultana St., Temple City, Calif.)

Filed Oct. 28, 1957, Ser. No. 692,674 6 Claims. (Cl. 239-236) This invention relates to water sprinkling devices for watering lawns or the like and has particular reference to water sprinklers of the type capable of sprinkling areas of different sizes and shapes. 7

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a water sprinkler having a nozzle whose angle of elevation may be readily varied whereby to change the size of the area covered.

Another object is to provide a water sprinkler including a nozzle movable about a vertical axis in which the extent of movement may be adjusted from a relatively small sweep to substantially a full circle.

Another object is to provide a relatively quiet water sprinkler which is adjustable to cover different areas.

Another object is to provide a water sprinkler capable of covering areas of different contours.

A further object is to provide a water sprinkler including a self-scavenging means for scavenging water emerging from parts of the sprinkler which would otherwise unduly saturate the ground directly below the same.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view of a water sprinkler embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the springler comprises a tubular base 11 threaded at its lower end for attachment to a water supply pipe 12 which supplies water under pressure. A tubular body member 13 is threadably attached to the base 11 and, in turn, supports a pivot or cap member 14 which is rotatably journaled thereon for movement about a vertical axis.

The members 11, 13 and 14 have co-extensive passages, i.e., 15, therethrough for conveying a stream of water from the supply pipe to a tubular nipple 16 secured in the pivot member 14 and to which is attached one end of a flexible hose 17. The other end of the hose is attached to a nozzle 18 for directing a jet or stream of water outwardly and upwardly at various angles and elevations, as will appear later.

Means are provided for utilizing the stream of water passing through the passage to rotate the nozzle unit comprising the pivot member 14, hose 17 and nozzle 18. For this purpose, a turbine wheel 19 is provided with its blades extending into a transverse slot or opening 20 formed in the base 13, whereby the blades are located in the path of the water in passage 15.

The turbine wheel 19 is fastened to a shaft 22 which is journaled in a bushing 23 fixed to the top wall 24 of a turbine housing surrounding the turbine wheel and part of the body member 13. A depending flange on the top wall 24 engages a bottom wall 25 to form a substantially water-tight turbine wheel housing. Tabs 26, ex-

tending upwardly from the wall 25, are attached to the top wall 24 by screws 27.

The turbine wheel shaft 23 has an eccentric end portion 126 thereon, on which is journaled the hub of a double acting pawl 127. The latter has two actuating teeth 28 and 29 thereon, either of which is etfective to engage the teeth of a sprocket or ratchet wheel 30 attached to the pivot member 14. For this purpose, the sprocket is clamped to the pivot member between a nozzle supporting plate 31, spacer 32, pawl setting members 33 and 34, and spacer 35 by a nut 36 threaded on the lower end of the pivot member.

The pawl 127 is yieldably maintained either in its position illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein its tooth 28 engages the sprocket 30, or in an alternate position arranged clockwise therefrom in which its tooth 29 engages the sprocket 30, by an overcenter spring 131 which is tensioned between a lug 132 on the pawl and a lug on a spring locater 133. The latter is pivotally mounted on the bushing 23 for movement about the axis of shaft 22 and has a finger 134 which extends into the path of upwardly and downwardly extending ears on the members 33 and 34, respectively.

From the above it will be seen that as the water flows through the passage 15, it will react against the blades of the turbine wheel, causing the eccentric portion 126 of the turbine wheel shaft to oscillate thepawl 127, causing its active tooth to pick up one of the teeth of sprocket 30 and thereby incrementally advance or rotate the nozzle unit in one direction or another, depending on the setting of the pawl.

A centralizer 37 is pivotally mounted on the bushing 23 and is pressed by a spring (not'shown) toward the sprocket 30 whereby to hold a roller 38 thereon in centralizing engagement with two of the teeth of the sprocket whereby to prevent retrograde movement of the nozzle unit during the idle return of the active pawl tooth.

When one of the pawl setting members 33 and 34 en gages the finger 134 of the spring locater, it will rock the latter sufliciently to carry the spring 131 over center, thereby rocking the pawl 127 into its alternate position to cause a reverse advancement of the nozzle unit until engaged by the other of the members 33 and 34. It will be noted that the members 33 and 34 may be adjusted to any desired relative positions so as to vary the angle of sweep of the nozzle unit through any desired angle up to substantially 360 as well as to vary the position of such sweep.

The nozzle 18 can be either maintained at a constant elevation which may be adjusted to cover a desired circular area, or its angle of elevation may be automatically varied as it swings through its angle of sweep whereby to cover areas having contours which are nonconcentric with the axis of the passage 15. For this purpose, the nozzle 18 is integrally attached to a bracket 40 pivotally supported at 41 on the nozzle support plate 31. A roller 43 is rotatably mounted on a stud 39 fixed to the bracket 40 and is adapted to ride on the upper edge of a cylindrical cam 44 which is formed of sheet metal and is removably attached by screws 45 to a spider frame 46 which is attached as by screw 47 to the top of turbine housing wall 24. By properly shaping the upper edge of the cam 44, the nozzle may be made to vary its angle of elevation as desired as it sweeps laterally.

If desired, the cam 44 may be removed and the nozzle held at a constant selected angle of elevation by a bendable ear 42 on the support plate 31 which may be adjustably bent into different positions to set the nozzle accordingly. a

A semi-spherical bottom cover or catch basin 50 is attached to the base member 11 and cooperates with an upper semi-spherical cover 51 attached to the pivot member 14 by stud unit 49 to form an enclosure effective to suppress any noise created by the moving parts of the sprinkler. The water stream emerging from the nozzle 18 is normally projected through a vertical elongated opening 52 in the upper cover.

In order to scavenge any water immerging from the nozzle and not passing through the opening 52, a transverse opening 53 is formed in the base member 11 near the bottom of the lower cover 50. The opening communicates with the upper end of a restricted throat passage 54 in the member 11. The latter passage forms a venturi effect wherein the region directly adjacent the opening 53 is normally under a reduced pressure, thereby drawing into passage 15, any water settling in the bottom of the cover 50.

A drip hole 55 of smaller diameter than the passages 54 and 55 allows any water left in the bottom cover after the sprinkler is shut off to eventually leak out.

In cases where it is desired to completely shut off the stream of water in certain portions of the sweep of the nozzle, the cam 44 is so formed as to lower or raise the nozzle below or above the opening 52, shutting off the projected stream of water and causing the same to accumulate in the lower cover whereupon the water will be subsequently reused.

Having thus described the invention, what I desire to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A water sprinkler comprising the combination of an elongate tubular base forming a water conduit extending along the length thereof, said base having an opening in the side thereof communicating with said water conduit, said opening being located intermediate the ends of said base, a turbine wheel, means carried by said base for rotatably supporting said turbine wheel for rotation about an axis offset from said conduit, said turbine wheel extending in said opening and being rotatable by water moving through said conduit, a nozzle unit rotatably supported by said base for movement about a vertical axis, means operatively connecting said turbine wheel to said nozzle unit for rotating said nozzle unit, said nozzle unit comprising a nozzle communicating with said water conduit adjacent one end thereof whereby to direct a jet of Water outwardly and means for conveying water under pressure to the opposite end of said water conduit.

2. A water sprinkler comprising an elongate tubular base forming a water conduit extending along the length thereof, said base having an opening in the side thereof communicating with said water conduit, said opening being located intermediate the ends of said base, a turbine wheel, means carried by said base for rotatably supporting said turbine wheel for rotation about an axis offset from said conduit, said turbine wheel extending in said opening and being rotatable by water moving through said conduit, a housing surrounding said turbine wheel and said opening, a nozzle unit rotatably supported by said base for movement about a vertical axis, a ratchet operatively connected to said nozzle unit, a pawl outside said housing, said pawl being operable by said turbine wheel and effective to advance said ratchet wheel whereby to rotate said nozzle unit, said nozzle unit comprising a nozzle communicating with said water conduit adjacent one end thereof whereby to direct ajet of water outwardly and means for conveying water under pressure to the opposite end of said water conduit.

3. A water sprinkler comprising an elongate tubular base forming a water conduit extending along the length thereof, said base having an opening in the side thereof communicating with said water conduit, said opening being located intermediate the ends of said base, a turbine wheel, means carried by said base for rotatably supporting said turbine wheel for rotation about an axis offset from said conduit, said turbine wheel extending in said opening and being rotatable by water moving through said conduit, a housing surrounding said turbine wheel and said opening, a nozzle unit rotatably supported by said base for movement about a vertical axis, a ratchet operatively connected to said nozzle unit, a reversible pawl, an eccentric supporting said pawl, said eccentric being operable by said turbine wheel and effective to cause said pawl to rotate said ratchet wheel in either of opposite directions, means carried by said nozzle unit and effective upon movement thereof to a predetermined position for reversing the direction of operation of said pawl, said nozzle unit comprising a nozzle communicating with said water conduit adjacent one end thereof whereby to direct a jet of water outwardly and means for conveying water under pressure to the opposite end of said water conduit.

4. A water sprinkler comprising an elongate tubular base forming a water conduit extending along the length thereof, said base having an opening in the side thereof communicating with said water conduit, said opening being located intermediate the ends of said base, a turbine wheel, means carried by said base for rotatably supporting said turbine wheel for rotation about an axis offset from said conduit, said turbine wheel extending in said opening and being rotatable by water moving through said conduit, a cap member rotatably supported by said base, said cap member having an opening therein communicating with said water conduit adjacent one end thereof, a ratchet carried by said cap member, a reversible pawl, an eccentric supporting said pawl, said eccentric being operable by said turbine Wheel and effective to cause said pawl to rotate said ratchet wheel in either of opposite directions, adjustable means carried by said cap member and effective upon movement thereof to a predetermined position for reversing the direction of operation of said pawl, a nozzle device operatively connected to said cap member and communicating with said cap opening whereby to direct a jet of water outwardly and means for conveying water under pressure to the opposite end of said water conduit.

5. A water sprinkler comprising the combination of an elongate vertical tubular base forming a water conduit extending along the length of said base, said base having an opening in the side thereof communicating with said water conduit, said opening being located intermediate the ends of said base, a turbine wheel means on said base for rotatably supporting said turbine wheel for movement about a vertical axis offset from said conduit, said turbine wheel extending in said opening and being rotatable by water moving through said conduit, 2. cap member rotatably supported by said base, said cap member having an opening therein communicating with said water conduit adjacent one end thereof, means for conveying water to the opposite end of said water conduit, means operatively connecting said turbine wheel to said cap member for rotating said cap member, a nozzle element, means forming a flexible tubular connection between said nozzle element and said cap member whereby to communicate said nozzle with said opening in said cap member, means comprising a cam and cam follower responsive to rotation of said cap member for varying the angle of elevation of said nozzle element, and means for selectively fixing said angle of elevation of said nozzle element.

6. A water sprinkler comprising an elongate base forming a water conduit extending along the length of said base, said base having an opening in the side thereof communicating with said water conduit, said opening being located intermediate the ends of said base, a water motor including a water operated rotatable element; means carried by said base for supporting said rotatable element for rotation about an axis offset from said conduit, said rotatable element extending in said opening and being rotatable by water moving through said conduit, a' housing surrounding said rotatable element and said opening, a tubular cap member extending coaxially of said base, said cap member being supported by said base for rotation about the axis of said base, a ratchet wheel carried by said cap member and extending coaxially thereof, a reversible pawl, an eccentric supporting said pawl, said eccentric being operable by said rotatable element and effective to cause said pawl to rotate said ratchet wheel in either of opposite directions,

a pair of pawl setting members, means mounting said setting members on said cap member for independent adjustment about the axis of said cap member, one of said pawl setting members being effective to set said pawl to advance said ratchet wheel in one direction and the other of said pawl setting members being effective to set said pawl to advance said ratchet wheel in the opposite direction, a nozzle device operatively connected 6 to said cap member and communicating with the interior of said water conduit adjacent one end thereof whereby to direct a jet of water outwardly, and means for convey ing waterunder pressure to the opposite end of said water conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 256,708 Lane Apr. 18, 1882 1,074,336 Wisman Sept. 30, 1913 1,594,729 Higgins Aug. 3, 1926 2,269,045 Virtanen Jan. 6, 1942 2,475,537 Ashworth July 5, 1949 2,601,559 Riblet June 24, 1952 2,780,488 Kennedy Feb. 5, 1957 Turrettini July 18, 1876 

